Various Artists "16 Songs of Hirobumi Suzuki"
moonriders' bassist Hirobumi Suzuki celebrated last month his 70th birthday (on May 19). This tribute album consisting of covers of his various works (solo and with moonriders) was planned by Narisu Records and ayU tokiO, and kept a complete secret...
Posted on June 25, 2024 at 22:08. | Released on June 25, 2024
moonriders "Happenings Nine Months Time Ago in June 2022"
moonriders released last year a new original album titled "It's the moooonriders" (, Spotify, YouTube Music), here comes an album that was made from recordings done in June 2022 over two days in the form of impromptu sessions that totaled...
Posted on March 15, 2023 at 21:31. | Released on March 15, 2023
Posted on June 3, 2021 at 00:12. | Event held on Saturday June 5, 2021 at 14:00 (JST)
Skirt "Another Story"
Pop band Skirt, a.k.a. singer-songwriter Sawabe Wataru, has released just recently this album of re-recordings of early indie-days songs, before he joined label Kakubarhythm. The limited edition includes a Blu-ray disc of Skirt's 10th anniversary concert, held on September 5,...
Posted on December 26, 2020 at 21:00. | Released on December 16, 2020
Various Artists "Magical Connection 2020"
This is a compilation of new generation Shibuya-kei, compiled and supervised by Sally Kubota (The Scooters, ex-SOLEIL, les 5-4-3-2-1, The Phantom Gift). Featured are a few brand new recordings, including new SOLEIL covers by microstar (songwriters of "Baby Boo"), Tweedees...
Posted on November 23, 2020 at 10:40. | Released on November 25, 2020
Posted on November 1, 2020 at 12:16. | Event held on Sunday November 1, 2020 at 16:30 (JST)
Kaede "ima no watashi wa kawaritsuzukete ano koro no watashi de irareteru." (12")
Kaede (Negicco)'s 1st full-length solo album, released on CD on the first day of 2020, has just been released on vinyl! The album contains songs in collaboration with artists such as Skirt, Horigome Yasuyuki (ex-Kirinji), Itō Gorō (naomi & goro),...
Posted on April 29, 2020 at 18:16. | Released on April 28, 2020
Kaede "ima no watashi wa kawaritsuzukete ano koro no watashi de irareteru."
Kaede (Negicco) has a 1st full-length solo album that has just been released on New Year's Day! The album has collaborations with artists such as Skirt, Horigome Yasuyuki (ex-Kirinji), Itō Gorō (naomi & goro), Oh shu, Dōjima Kōhei, Wada Shō...
Posted on January 1, 2020 at 23:12. | Released on January 1, 2020
Ultra-Vybe Japanese hit release re-issues
Long-running indie label and distributor Ultra-Vybe has just made available many of the acclaimed releases from its catalog, and priced them down to only ¥1000 (+tax) each! This includes many rarities. Below is a small selection from their Japanese re-issues....
Posted on July 12, 2019 at 23:18. | Released on July 10, 2019
SOLEIL "SOLEIL is Alright" (12")
SOLEIL's 2nd album "SOLEIL is Alright" is being released on vinyl! As it has been with all their recordings and releases so far, this vinyl edition will also be in mono. All of the 12 songs from the album are...
Posted on February 21, 2019 at 22:41. | Released on March 20, 2019
SOLEIL "SOLEIL is Alright"
SOLEIL, the band fronted by now 15-year-old singer Soleil, has a 2nd album being released very soon! Following the excellent "My Name is SOLEIL" released last March, the new full-length also consists of all original songs with the exception of...
Posted on September 16, 2018 at 23:03. | Released on September 19, 2018
Kaede "ano ko ga kurasu machi (made ato dore gurai?)" (Download, 7")
Kaede (of Negicco) has released today a first solo single, of which the title song was written by Sawabe Wataru (Skirt). The B-side is a cover of Kirinji's "sore mo kitto shiawase". Both were arranged by Skirt. This is being...
Posted on September 20, 2017 at 22:45. | Released on September 20, 2017
Okada Tohru "Portraiture of T"
Okada Tohru (Moonriders, CTO LAB., ya-to-i) has a new solo album coming this week! This follow-up to "kakū eiga ongakushū II ~Erewhon no roku de~" (2012) is actually his first entirely vocal album, with himself singing on every song. Featured...
Posted on November 20, 2016 at 21:11. | Released on November 23, 2016
Chiroline ver.3 "Last Pajama Party"
Chiroline ver.3 (previously Chiroline ver.2) are back as a trio with new mini-album "Last Pajama Party"! While produced by Okada Tohru (Moonriders), songs written by fellow CTO LAB. members Imai Kentaro (The Aprils) and polymoog (Elektel) are also included. There...
Posted on July 29, 2015 at 21:45. | Released on August 5, 2015
Negicco "Rice&Snow"
Negicco have a brand new album just out this week! This includes songs written by Tajima Takao (Original Love), Yoshida Tetsuto, Yano Hiroyasu (ex-Cymbals), Nishidera Gōta (Nona Reeves), Miura Kōshi (Kuchiroro), and of course Negicco's main producer Connie. Also there...
Posted on January 22, 2015 at 21:25. | Released on January 20, 2015
Full-text search results for Skirt
Tanzaku CD (8cm CD) Day
What's going on in 2023? Well, it's the 35th anniversary of the 8cm CD, also known as "Tanzaku CD" (or also 3" CD or "mini CD"), which was a very popular format for singles in Japan in the 90s. A...
Posted on July 8, 2023 at 01:15. | Released on July 7, 2023
Je et Georges "III"
Je et Georges (or in Japanese boku to Georges) has a brand new but last album titled "III" that was released just recently. The band also comes as a new line-up, with in addition to Himeno Tama and Satō Yūsuke...
Posted on September 18, 2022 at 19:01. | Released on August 24, 2022
Hideki Kaji "Tea" (12")
Following the release of "Mini Skirt" on vinyl for Record Day 2021, here comes Hideki Kaji's 2nd solo album "Tea" (1998) which was recorded entirely in Sweden, also available on vinyl for the first time. Two bonus tracks are also...
Posted on May 17, 2022 at 23:26. | Released on May 18, 2022
Tokyo's Coolest Sound radio show on La Face B: "Noël Nippon" édition 2021
This is Tokyo's Coolest Sound's own radio show, which is featured on La Face B (Facebook page), an Internet radio based in Montréal (Québec, Canada). It brings you some favorite songs and artists that you've read about in these...
Posted on December 19, 2021 at 02:42.
Hideki Kaji "The Winter Fields" (Download)
Hideki Kaji has just released a winter-inspired instrumental song digitally, following the recent release of "Claire's Knees and Christmas"! The new song is co-produced by Horie Hirohisa (Neil & Iraiza) who also played keyboards, and the track was made...
Posted on December 10, 2021 at 00:21. | Released on December 8, 2021
Record Day 2021 Day 2
Record Day, previously happening only on November 3 for "Culture Day" (a public holiday), has being held once more this November, on Saturday November 27. Also check out the post about day 1! Items can be ordered online. Below is...
Posted on December 4, 2021 at 00:54. | Released on November 27, 2021
Hideki Kaji "Claire's Knees and Christmas" (Download)
Hideki Kaji has just released a new single, titled "Claire's Knees and Christmas". This song was co-produced by Horie Hirohisa (Neil & Iraiza) and is performed together with Koncos as the back-band. Check out the music video below! This...
Posted on November 25, 2021 at 23:00. | Released on November 24, 2021
Sato Yusuke "Utopia" (Download)
Satō Yūsuke (caméra-stylo) has just released a new solo song digitally. In terms of solo works, this follows EP "Kilaak" released in 2019 (, Spotify, YouTube Music). Check out the music video below. Guitars were performed by Sawabe Wataru...
Posted on August 8, 2021 at 23:20. | Released on August 4, 2021
RSD Drops 2021 Day 2
Here comes the 2nd of Record Store Day's "RSD Drops" for 2021, following the first held on June 12. Online sales will start at 13:00 (JST) on release day. Below are some picks for July 17, followed by some related...
Posted on July 17, 2021 at 02:04. | Released on July 17, 2021
Tokyo's Coolest Sound radio show on La Face B: "Tokyo's Coolest Sound" vol.9
This is Tokyo's Coolest Sound's own radio show, which is featured on La Face B (Facebook page), an Internet radio based in Montréal (Québec, Canada). It brings you some favorite songs and artists that you've read about in these...
Posted on September 24, 2020 at 00:19.
Posted on August 17, 2020 at 21:26. | Event held on Friday September 11, 2020 at 19:30 (JST)
Tokyo's Coolest Sound radio show on La Face B: "Tokyo's Coolest Sound" vol.3
This is Tokyo's Coolest Sound's own radio show, which is featured on La Face B (Facebook page), an Internet radio based in Montréal (Québec, Canada), it brings you some favorite songs and artists that you've read about in these...
Posted on March 26, 2020 at 08:00.
Urbangarde "TOKYOPOP"
The first release of 2020 (or Reiwa year 2 in the Japanese calendar) is a new album by trauma techno-pop band Urbangarde titled "TOKYOPOP". The album contains 6 new songs (including "kotoba uri" and "Tokyo wa Reiwa reiji"), newly recorded...
Posted on January 1, 2020 at 00:10. | Released on January 1, 2020
Wakita Monari "I am ONLY" (12")
Wakita Monari's excellent 1st album "I am ONLY" (2017) is finally being released on vinyl! Included are songs written by Hase Hajimu, Microstar, Fukutomi Yukihiro, Yafune Tetsurō, Nishidera Gōta (Nona Reeves), Count Joke, Hase Yasuhiro (Yume to Cosme), ikkubaru (from...
Posted on April 23, 2019 at 21:28. | Released on April 24, 2019
Urbangarde "Urbangarde of Love and Fantasy"
Trauma techno-pop band Urbangarde, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, has just released a new special album! Closely following the release of "shojo Fiction" (April 2018), this new album collects rarities and tracks not available on any of their...
Posted on November 23, 2018 at 21:23. | Released on November 21, 2018
Hirose Aina "Schedule of Afternoon Hours"
15-year-old singer Hirose Aina (ex-Peach sugar snow)'s solo debut mini-album has just been released. Produced by Seki Yoshihiko, also featured are songs written by Sokabe Keiichi (Sunny Day Service) ("otona ni nanka naranai de") and Shibata Satoko ("ikisugita tomodachi"), as...
Posted on June 26, 2018 at 23:29. | Released on June 20, 2018
Wakita Monari "I am ONLY"
After three great singles, here comes Wakita Monari (ex-Especia)'s 1st solo album! All songs are said to be worth single cuts. Included are songs written by Hase Hajimu, Microstar, Fukutomi Yukihiro, Yafune Tetsurō, Nishidera Gōta (Nona Reeves), Count Joke, Hase...
Posted on July 22, 2017 at 23:38. | Released on July 26, 2017
Mira Parameter "Reborn"
Singer-songwriter Etuka's new electro-pop solo unit Mira Parameter has a first album being released on Gooondo, the label of Gondō Tomohiko (Metafive). The album, with a sound reminiscent of 80's techno, was produced by Gondō and mastered by Sunahara Yoshinori....
Posted on July 5, 2017 at 21:08. | Released on July 6, 2017
Wakita Monari "Boy Friend"
Wakita Monari (ex-Especia) has a 2nd solo single being released on Vivid Sound! Both synth-pop style songs were produced by the two of Microstar: Satō Seiki and Iizumi Yūko. The single is available in 3 editions, a limited edition including...
Posted on February 7, 2017 at 21:15. | Released on February 15, 2017
Moonriders "Modern Music Special Edition"
The Moonriders' album "Modern Music" (1979) has been re-issued as a special edition with a bonus CD. Each song was newly remixed by different artists including Tokumaru Shūgo, Urbangarde, Riow Arai, little moa, Sawabe Wataru (Skirt) and more. This release...
Posted on November 15, 2013 at 23:04. | Released on November 6, 2013
(((sssurrounddd))) "New Age"
(((sssurrounddd))), the city pop band of Illreme aka Kamoda Jun with Traks Boys' K404 and Crystal, has a 2nd album out now! "New Age" features guest musicians including Sunahara Yoshinori (who also contributed a remix to their latest 12"), Kashif...
Posted on July 17, 2013 at 21:45. | Released on July 17, 2013
Urbangarde "koi to kakumei to Urbangarde"
Trauma techno-pop band Urbangarde has a first greatest hits album out now. This includes previous singles and favorites, as well as brand new songs "hatsukoi jigoku hen" and "tokai no Alice", and the previously unreleased "Baby Boom" and a remix...
Posted on July 14, 2013 at 23:02. | Released on June 19, 2013
Gig report: Vanilla Beans band live with Kaji Hideki
Text and photos by Patrick Benny for Tokyo's Coolest Sound Until recently, Vanilla Beans had always performed their shows "idol style", singing karaoke over a backtrack of the music. Last year marked their 5th anniversary, and then came 3rd album...
Posted on May 3, 2013 at 20:01.
Urbangarde "Propaganda Video 2012" (DVD)
Trauma techno-pop unit Urbangarde has a first DVD coming, which contains all of their numerous video clips from their indies days to now, plus various previously unseen footage. A one-man live show will be held at Shibuya AX on March...
Posted on January 21, 2012 at 00:23. | Released on January 25, 2012
Urbangarde "Mental Hells"
Trauma techno-pop unit Urbangarde have a new album just out. I think it's their 4th album though it's their first since their move to a major label. This contains a different version of latest single "tokimeki ni shisu" as well...
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 17:01. | Released on October 26, 2011
spoon+ "birth"
Fun indies techno-pop/electro-pop unit spoon+ (MySpace) has a first album coming next week. They have been quite active performing many shows, in which singer-songwriter aco dances and sings in front of a large screen of synchronized video. Before this album...
Posted on June 14, 2011 at 22:29. | Released on June 21, 2011
Gig report: Aira Mitsuki "???" tour final
Text by Patrick Benny for Tokyo's Coolest Sound Last Sunday I had the chance to catch Aira Mitsuki's last stop of her tour for the release of latest album "???". The show was held at Ebisu LiquidRoom on January 30....
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 22:56.
Kaji Hideki "Strawberries and Cream"
One year since "Lollipop", here's a brand new album from Kaji Hideki (MySpace)! This includes the song "Passion Fruits" (see video below) which was released on a "Blue Boys Don't Cry e.p." earlier this year. Guest musicians include Hidaka Tōru...
Posted on October 18, 2009 at 23:41. | Released on October 21, 2009
Neo-Shibuya-kei web site and free download compilations
April 28 is Shibuya day (4=shi, 2=bu, 8=ya), and to celebrate, a neo-Shibuya-kei information web site has opened! The content is all in Japanese, but still you can find lots of links to artists who fall under the category. That's...
Posted on April 30, 2008 at 10:52. | Released on April 28, 2008
Kaji Hideki "La Boum ~My Boom Is Me~" (7")
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Kaji Hideki's first album "Mini Skirt", recently re-released in a deluxe edition with DVD (Amazon, Amazon U.S.), Jet Set now brings us a 7" of the hit song "La Boum ~My Boom Is Me~" coupled...
Posted on March 19, 2007 at 14:34. | Released on April 5, 2007
